Shaker conveyer loading apparatus



` Aug. 19, 1952 c. N. BEBINGER 2,607,466

SHAKER CONVEYER LOADING APPARATUS Filed Dec. l", 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet l @y Mi'lam at@ Aug. 19, 1952 c. N. BEBINGER SHAKER CONVEYER LOADING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 1'7, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor flea* Aug. 19, 1952 c. N. BEBINGER 2,607,465

SHAKER CONVEYER LOADING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 17, 1949 '5 Sheets-Sheet 5 "12a-mil lh l *l www @y l as@ Patent'ed Aug. 19, 1952 n, V2,607,466 SHAKER ooNvEYEa LOADING APPARATUS l 7 vCharles N. Bebinger, New Philadelphia, Ohio, asi 'signor to Joy Manufacturing Company, `Ilittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania .Application December 17, 1949, Serial N o. 133,594

inventionrelates to shakerconveyors', and

more particularly to loading devicesoperated by movement-of the reciprocatory type which characterizes shaker conveyors. l

. In my applications, Serial No, 653,060, now

abandoned, filed-March 8*',` 194,6,forLoadingl Apparatus, and VSerial No. 730,613, now abandoned, filed February 425, 1947y for lShaker Conveyor `,Loading Apparatus, I disclosed and claimed improvedloading devices operating by reciprocatory movement to load out-shot coal which 'is shot down yupon them Yor which may otherwise be ,caused to bevsuperimposed upon them. rlfhis ap- (Cl. ISS-14) having improved means for enabling it to Work which is carried at the end of a shaker .conveyor trougholine and which is adaptedV to have the vcoal shot -doWn upon it. VThese devices need to be relatively thin in verticaldimension in order that they may be used in thin kerfs. This is because of the fact that twice as much coal is reduced to bug `dust When a 6 kerf is formed as would be formed ifa 3 kerfrwere cut. Thus, if a loading pancan be kept very low in overall height substantial advantages canbe secured.

Loading pans inserted in kerfs'and having coal Aoverall height must be kept down while great strength is neverthelessincorporated, makes the 4problema substantial one.r It is also Vdesirable that these loading pansbe reversible so that y they maybe used to load out material across a face VWhile traveling in either direction. In strengthening the pan it is important that constructions which Will renderfoits longitudinal reciprocation more difficult shall be avoided. Another importantthing is that the pan shall be sc constructed that little coal shall succeed in passing across the pan from its leading to its recedingedgewithout being loaded out, and if this can be accomplished not only without interference with, but indeed in furtherance of, strengthening of thepan, a highly desirable construction will be had? 1f. t I

It is an object ofmy .present invention to provide an improved loading apparatus of the character mentioned having a strongL construction and improved feeding arrangements, and further its Way under a massof shot coal. More specifically, my invention has for one of its objects the provision of an improved loading pan. Another object is to provide an improved loading pan having improved feeding means.

Another object is to'provide an improved loading device having a longitudinal edge adapted to be forced v'into a 'pile of material tobe conveyed, and being corrugated with a series of ridges and grooves'running longitudinally ofthedevice to serve as a guide for the ii'nesjand lumps toward a conventiona'ljconve'ying. trough. y

Another object of myfinvention'fis toprovide an improved loading device' feeder rhead pan which is low 4in its over-'Fall heightand very" strongr and Which inay be inserted into a very thin kerf.

Another `objectyof Amy. invention is to provide an improved loading device feeding head pan having a feedingface on both Alongitudinal sides of the pan in order that the pan may become a reversible or universal loader that'may be swung from left to right orright to left across the face ofthecoalg l A further object of my invention is to provide an improved 'loading panhaving improved means for re-enforcing and "arming a material pilepenetrating edge' thereof. Yet another object of my invention is the provision of an improved loading device' for a shaker conveyor comprising an elongated, longitudinallyv reciprocable member having a top surface in the form of a plurality of alternating'crests and valleys extending in the direction of longitudinal reciprocation and having a rbottom having engagementwith a supporting 'surface along surfaces underlying said crests and also'` alon'gf surfacesV underlying said valleys, which underlying surfaces are at least substantially in a common plane. Still another object ofmy invention is to provide an improved loading pan having an upper `surface for supporting andmoving materialproviding .a series of longitudinally` extendingridges with intermediate valleys and having a bottom-engaging surface having a plurality of surfaces underlying said valley "portionsand also a series of intermediate surfaces provided by re-enforcing elements underlying the ridges.

A further. object of'my,v invention is the provision of anv improved loading panhaving improved re-enfor'cing means.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will hereinafter more fully appear.

VIn the accompanyingdrawing's there are shown for purposes of illustration two forms and a furf 'acca-icc 3 ther modification which the invention may assume in practice.

In these drawings: Fig. 1 is a plan view of an improved loading device constructed in accordance with the preferred embodiment of my invention.

Fig.n2 is a Vside elevational .view of the improved loading device shown in Fig. 1. n

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken online 3-3 of Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is a `diagrammatic view on a reduced scale showing the loading device resting on the mine bottom as when in use. l Y

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic plan View showing my v' improved loading device arranged in loading position in a mine room. Y Fig. 6 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on line 6--6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. '7 is a plan view of a portion of a reciprocating shaker conveyor with an extensible loading device swivelly attached thereto and employing another loading pan constructed according to the principles of my invention. i Y

Fig. 8 is an enlarged view Vof a cross-section along the line 8-8 of Fig. 7. c y

Fig. 9 is anenlarged'cross-sectional view'along the line 9--9 o'f Fig. '7; and 4 VFi-g. 10 shows a further modified'loading pan. Y

The preferred 'embodiment of Figs. 1 to A6 will iirstbe described. j

Referring to the' drawings, and first to Fig. 5,

i indicates a ishalendrive mechanism, which may desirably. 'hielo-f theform which vforms Athe subject matter oirny continuation-impart application Serial No; '715,52`6led December 11', 1946 and now. abandoned, and which moves the pan line 2 back and forth, forwardi. e. towards the Ypoint of discharge-with `a relatively slow smooth movement, so that the'material o'nthe pans will move with theV latter, 'and backwards-towards the' point Vfrom which material is to be moved-with a .sharply accelerated 'movement, so that due to the inertia of the'material on the pans, the 4pans may slip backwardlypnder Y distance-normally a matter of some inches.

A swivelconnection 3 iis provided in the pan line at a point sufficiently 'spaced from the material `to be 'loaded out,V to permit the 'requisite movement laterally of 'my improved loading mechanism. Towards the 'face from this swivel connection there are 'shown an extensible section 4 ofthe pan line and'myfy improved 'loading mechanism 5. VThe extensible section `4 and my improved loading mechanism 5k may, by virtue of the provision of the swivel 3, be swung to maintain suitable 'relation tothe material 'to be loaded duringv the loading operation andA to position the Vloading Amechanism so Vthat 4it may be in 'desired position when loading is to be commenced. The extensible section 4 comprises two pan sections t* and 1 which are adapted to overlap one another and are heldk togetherl in their various overlapping positions by a series of clamp members 8. These clamp members may be loosened and the amount of overlap between the pans 6 'and 1 adjusted. By this adjustment, andbythe addition, as needed, of further sections tothe panV line 2, with relocation of the swivel 3, progressive relocation of the mechanism 5 asthe Ycoal face recedes, as mining out progresses, can vbe effected. "A'shorter pan section 9 is detachably connected between the pan section 'l andthe d loading mechanism 5. The pan section 9 is attached to improved means I0, later described, for effecting lateral feeding movement of the mechanism 5 as loading takes place.

. Aseriesofridges {4..and intermediate grooves l5 extending `longitudinally of it, for most of its length across'its full width, though at its forward end it may be narrowed somewhat as'at i5 and have lateral anges I1 of progressively increasing height formed with their bottom edges converging so as to produce a structure of substantially the same cross section as thetrough or pan sectionfe to whichit is connected by the eyes I8 `and'us'ual bolts,` not shown.l The grooves i5 land ridges 'le maybeof varied-cross section within the broad scope ofmy invention, Vbut iiattopped ridges and fiiat-bottomed' fgrooves, as shown, are particularly advantageous in that-by the use ofV channel'sha-pedfre-enforcing -members I3 of a width-substantially equal to the width of the flat'tops |9-of the ,lgGS "Mand'the iiat bottoms 20 of the gfrooves l5 and of-aheight equal-to the depth of thegrooves, a very strongly re-enforced and rigid 4construction will be had. The channels I3 in the construction shown 'approximately deublethe lContact area ofthe pan with the underlying iminef'surface and fso reduce unit wear.` 'Y v The pan vIl may'desira'bly-be provided across its rearward end withfanflflpturnedli-p 2| whose upper edge, as shown, f-alls y"just -below the plane, extended, of the iiat surfaces -I 9. This lends further rigidity to the freeend of the Ypian-and-also reduces the possibility of material upon the lfatter failing to be advanced forwardly along its upper surface.

:while I have shcwnjthej'aiparatus Yleading from right to1eft,`it will bef'evident-that loading lregularly in either direction, Vor -nowinlone direction land now in the'fother, may be desirable. Y'Ihe panA Will be armed- #along the edge thereof which is to beinadvancejas the .pan moves laterally during loading' with blocks 22 equipped with pointed'bits 2-3,'fthe position-of -the blocks and their hei-ghts being sucliithat'their-lowerfsur- Vfaces 2A may provide additional-support for the pan uponfthe mine 'bo-ttbm:J Thedistanceinter- 'vening the bit-carrying blocks "i-s'desir'ably so chosen that during panv reciprocation the blocks and bits will level the bo-t'tomffor 'the' lfull length of the pan. The Amanner of" bit mountingon'the blocks, and lof the block :mounting on the pan may be varied, Y)out riveting, vwith-or'without brazing or welding 'fof the blocks to thenp'amlmay be employed, and braz'ingof 4the -bitsin holes'in the blocks is an effective method 'of mounting Athe former. 'If desired, l#a re-enforcingfplate-2l5,

before shooting of' thelcqaijscfuiarftnecoalpmav 'be'brought 'down upon it; the 'gauge ofthe pan vv`I'| and the weightof thechannels I3 willbe chosen to secure adequate strength, but to avoid excessive over-all height or weight. The use of ilatbottomed ridges and grooves provides, especially with the use'of inverted channels contacting the bottom between the lower surfacesy of the wall portions forming the "groovea most rigid and rugged structure with minimum weight.

As the mine bottom is very generally advanced in'such a manner asto 'leave a series of slopingA The mechanism I0 comprises a mine bottom-y engaging support plate or skid 28 carrying in a very low position thereon horizontal guideways 29 for balls. In these guideways, balls 30 are received, and other guideways 3I ride upon the balls 30, the guideways and balls forming a very low ball frame which is mounted on the skid plate 28. The guideways 3I are secured to the pan or trough section 9. l

The skid plate l28 is materially wider than the ball frame and near one side it may carry a reely.

mechanism 33, as in the preferred embodiment illustrated. This reel mechanism may-be located on the other side of the skid plate, if the loading is to be'from left to right, and an elongated portion 34 on the skid plate 28 is provided for this; purpose.

the positioning and feeding of the extensible section 4 and the Vimproved loading pan II, these openings 36 serving for the attachment of chains or cables from separate winch or rchain block devices, and also being utilizable in a double reeve connection of the cable from theV reel mechanism 33.

'As shown in Fig'. 5, a flexible cable 31 is led from the reel mechanism 33 to a jack 38 located at the rib, or if a double run connection be desired the cable may extend around a sheave supported by the jack 33 and led back to one of the openings 36 on the pan II, as above Suggested.

The mode of motor or manual feed control does not normally contemplate, with this mechanism,ffeed like that ofa kerf-cutting machine, in accordance with which the working run of the cutter chain is fed' continuously against the coal, but rather, here, the pan is-vdesirably intermittently advanced laterally as the shot coal resting upon it is carried out and it is necessary to move the pan .laterally to maintain it 'under the shot coal.

According to apreferred method of use of this embodiment of my invention, the pan I I is placedl in the kerf before the coal is shot, generally as near one back corner of the keri as possible, and the pan is set in `reciprocatory shaker motion before the shots are fired. Accordingly, when the coal falls, a considerable mass fallsupon the pan II andmore is ordinarily in a position to roll Ydown onto it when the part which directly overlies it isloaded out. Thus while the smoke is l clearing`v away from the working place, a substantial mass of coal is loaded out,`several cars beingvv LAl5 .llable in reasonably high coal before, the men return to the face. If the pan has `cleared itself Y of coalbefore, the operator again takes'over its Y control, he. simply. operateszthe ieedingmeans to bring the pan iinder thef coal again, the bits and Vtheir mounting enablingthe` panv to work its way under the shot coal..fi .When.it is again pretty well buried, itis causedA to-move atsuch` arateor, better, in suchistepsv-as will cause it toremainfburiedfand'ina position for the coal to `continuefto fall. upon it, until it .reaches theyother side of .thefundercut and .shot coal. A 'helper cleans out :the iines with a shoveland throws any coal that may get-across the panbefo're it reaches and passesfontoSthel trough line, backintc position to bei loaded. out.` vByapplying the feeding force Vto the support plateor skid 28, the tension of the cable. interferes" tota minimuml degree with Amay be placed-inl position for the next shooting.

As the coal is loaded'out, say from the right rib, the undercutter may be sumped in again, and the cutter can be caused -tocross the face behind the pan II, though'with more setting of jacks than would be needed vwith complete separation of the cutting and loading operations. Y i

Turning now-tothe embodiment of the inventionillustrated'in Figs.` 7 to 9; it will be observed that a shaker conveyor pan line 40, corresponding to the ypan line 2`of` the rst embodiment, has been shown. 'Thisfpan line has, in illustration, relatively slow, smooth outward movements (away from the point of load reception) and rapidly accelerated opposite=movements;- A swivel connection 4I is provided to attach an extensible pan section'43 tothe pan line 40, and another embodiment of my improved loading-device or pan 44, is connected by the extensible pan section 43 to the swivel connection 4I and may be swung from left to right or right to left as desired to contact the material to be conveyed. The extensible section 43 permits the pan 44 to be carried relatively close to the-shaker yconveyor pan line 40 when the apparatus isrst installed, andthereafter permits the pan 44ft'o be extended'a distance furtherr away Y as the'coal face worked back.

V The construction of this'embodiment of my improved` loading panj 44 is illustrated yin `the shown, a longitudinal member of a' corrugated Figures'l to' 9; Infitheseviigures, it will be noted that thef-pan comprises, inw" the embodiment cross-'sectional'conguration That is, a series of ridges 45 and groovesl extend longitudinally of the pan 44. These ridges and grooves are, in this case, straight, parallel, andequally curved ridges andv hollow's'exten/dingv substantially the entire lengthvv of Lthe-fpan AIl ll; Itis o f course obvious that *inv vthis particular cross-sectional configuration; `a reversal of the pan by yturning it upside down would Acause a particular portion to be numberedand named oppositely i. e. a ridge u would form a groove and vice versa. HAIn this embodiment and inthe preferred embodiment two v one which* isfexceedingly` strong and rigid, be-

cause of the reinforcing characteristicsproduced Lachance side. of the panfd.Y f In Figure 8', it .will .be seen that the bits 'Maarestaggered Yor odset. :As the pan.44.is reciprocated longitudinally, any small -piecesof coalprojectingv from the floor `will be way. of the pan-and; .will leave a smooth :floor surface over .whichthe .pan canreciprocate.

VAlthough igenerallyzthe y.conveyorLpan line 4D is brought into 'aminejroom along one-side thereofyand ethedoading pan then moves fromthat sideof .the room toxtheopposite.sideoi ,the room in loading thec'oial, thereare oftencinstances in which there q is; a;freasong fonmovine. .the :pen in the oppositedirectrion. '.Chengijnsjconditions Afor ramble... might reduire the. Vconveyor han line 4 0 to b e..shifted :from onesideof the `room to the other Aafter,.once having been. installed- Thereore, .I havenrorided an alternative strueture for .the loading pendii asillnstrated .in the Figurel- `Here. I heyeiilustrated apen 48 have me bits 4 7 on two longitudinal sides thereof. In

,other respectsJ the nan 4 8 entirely similar to the pan 44./

A leading pen constructed accordi-ne to :the principles herein,A disclosed Will-require a reletively small amount-of overhead clearance. That is, the pan may easily be insertedV into a kerf cut by a miningmachine which is only two or three inches high., There is rio-reinforcing memloer,l lying outside the thickness thereof, that Vmust be employedrwith anyof the illustrated forms of improved pan and which would increase the thickness Vof the -pan `and consume extra space.y The seriesl of ridges and, grooves illustrated and described-Will cause the material being conveyed to move longitudinally Valong the pan and enter into thev extensible section yil ror EL3, as

the case may be,V and subsequently into the shaker conveyor pan line, Without theprovision of a high backboard orother similar means to I stop V the movement of the coal across the `face o f the pan. Y YEach unit of the material being conveyed Willhave aY tendency tov move along vthe pan rather than across the `pan as it'attempts tov pass over each of the 'ridges` Thus; the material-being conveyed is not simply scooped upon thepan as Vone wouldshovel coal intov a .ouali- 'shovel. but

rather asrthe panbegns-to movenhder the `material, the materialfbegins vto be moved longitudi- Bally of the panasitcontacts the Vfirstr-idge. In

a flat lpan, theresis nothing about the .coaction of the pan withthe vmaterial except`- the friction between the material and the panto `deter transverse material movement-unththe material strikes anobstruction placed on the edge of the opposite'side or thepan ior that purpose. With my pans, maximumloading obtained.. Thatis,

tensible connection;V 'v

I hereiund that materia substantially one- .eishth 0i an inebxtliiek `11s satisfactory for z-most contacted byj thesesbits andxbroken .or cut off. Therefore, theseV pieoesgwillhe v'removed `from `:the

trated in Figure Z7,v andthe pansections areover- .purposes The pans are able t0 withstand v'Gremendous weis-ht without beine deformed bent and yetare so low in overall height that they vman easily be. inserted Yinto e kerf not Over W0 or et most three inches .in vertical .dimension- .Suchgpen constructions. een vlee used therefore with much smaller kerfs and Prende Suche liebliweight construction thetthe een may readily be handled- -T' 11T-The secondVv illustrative emloodimentr oimy loadineren 4.4 is deteehebly mounted uronvethe extension member 43 by an attachment saddle 49 as illustrated in Figure 9. One of lthese saddles 4!) is positioned near the end of the pan 4A, and near the end of the extension member 43-asi1lus lapped to allow `the saddle members 49 toabut. Then, a bolt is put through the eye 50 of the saddle members and tightened. Thus,V a strong detachable joint is provided. Thismethod of attachment is employed throughout the various `pansections ofthe extensiblemember and shaker kconveyor as illustrated.7 4

I have also provided aloop member vi5! at the side of the pan44to which a cable ,52 may be attached .to draw .the pan r44 and the extension member 43 sideways to feed the Ypan M intolthe material to be conveyed. This cable may be vpulled Aby any suitable means, hander motor powered. in the construction illustrated in Figure lO, there aretwo such cable attachments provided..` Y 5 A5 tothe Aoperation of this second embodiment and r'of the modification, little needs tobe'said. A 'jack 5 3 is secured between the roof and the floor of the'rn'iney and holds the shaker conveyor pan or trough line A0 in `a relatively xed lateral vpositionin the mine. The extensible member i3 is attached, if the parts are being .assembled for thel rst time, to .the member 4l in its retracted position. vThis extensible ,section 43 comprises two pan-'or ltrough .sections 54` and 55 which are adapted to overlaplone another .and are held in Ytheir overlap position -by a `series of clamp members 5,5. Thesefclamps may be loosened andthe amount of overlap betweenathe vpans or troughs l'and the cable 52 is attached to the VU-shaped loop `r`5.| The .loading device and conveyor fis thenready tocarry-coalfrorn the mine. There- .,a-,f-ter, the l Inode ofoperation is decided by the operator.V A-kerfris cutin the face of the-coal before the coal is shot down upon the mine licor, andy the `operatormay Vchoose whether to A insert the pan 44 into the `kerbefore thecoa-l is shot downor not,v according -to the condition of the mine. It Twill -usuallyfbepreferable tohave 'the loading ,pandn the kerf before-the ,coa-l -is shot downiyjtf ,the -pan is to 'be inserted into andthemernber 4i-extended to position thepan 44 as far into the cut as possible. The clamps Vare then secured. After the coal is. shot fdown upon the Ypan 4d, cable 52 may be placed under ltensionso as to :tend to move the pan tema direction towards the 'far side of 4 the mass of, 'shot focal, and'reciprocation 0f the shaker .con-

'-,SeQtQH-M to the 4pan f4.4.' The combination of reciprocatinggmotionand the .pull'of' the cable 52 'thenacause the pan :44 Ato .move :under Vthe coal :and v'cause `the .coal fto" continue-to be positioned .upon the pan '44." Thereafter, the reciprocating motion of. the pan 44 will cause the coal to feed along the face of the lpanto the section 43V and ultimately to the conveyor pan yline 40.

It Will/be evident that I have'provided a simple, strong and rugged loading attachment, having improved means' for Ieffecting its lateral feed with minimum interference with iits reciprocation, and with complete flexibility of operation.

While there are in this application vspecifically described two forms and a modification which the invention may assume in practice, it Will be understood that these are shown for purposes of illustration, and that the invention may be modied and embodiedin various other forms without departing from'its spirit orthe scope of the appended claims. I

What I claim asnewand desire to .secure by Letters Patent is: 1 I

1. A loading device' for a shaker conveyor, comprising a longitudinally:reciprocable member having a plurality of flat-topped ridges and intermediate flat-bottomed grooves extending in the direction of longitudinal reciprocation, and means to attach said member to the shaker conveyor, each of said grooves having beneath it an elongated bottom-engaging surface, and each of said ridges havingvi'fixedbeneath it a hollow, trough-like reenforcingL member of like length therewith and having-a bottom-engaging surface, said several bottom-engaging surfaces being coplanar wherebyV they may-concurrently contact with an underlying planev mine surface at points in lines transverse to'the direction of reciprocation of said member.

2. In a shaker conveyor, a shaker conveyor pan line includinga swivel and an extension pan connected to and extending forwardly of said swivel, and means insertable in a kerf in the coal seam for loading material therefrom comprising a loading pan having an advance agitating side edge and a retreating side and an intermediate portion connecting said edges and longitudinally corrugated throughout the length of said edges, said loading pan having neither of its edges projecting above the topsof said corrugations whenl Asaid loading pa'n is level, and said loading pan having connection with saidfextension panr for extensible or retractable movement with respect thereto ,`and means for feeding said loading pan across 'the coalv face while being reciprocated by saidv shaker conveyor pan line.

3. A mechanism for continuously loading coal comprising a shaker conveyor pan line having a swivel therein, and a loading pan having an advance cutting edge adapted to lie along the mine bottom and being adapted to be connected to the forward end of said shaker conveyor pan line and inserted in a kerfl cut in the coal seam and be fed across the coal face after the coal has been shot down thereon while said pan is being reciprocated by said shaker conveyor, said loading pan having to the rear, with respect to its direction of feed, of said cutting edge a longitudinally corrugated body comprising a plurality of parallel ridges extending longitudinally of said pan and having their crests in a common plane, and further having a retreating lateral edge below the level of said common plane.

4. A loading device for a shaker conveyor, comprising a longitudinally reciprocable member having a plurality of ridges and intermediate grooves extending in the direction of longitudinal reciprocation, said member having longitudinally extending bottom-engaging supporting surfaces underlying said grooves, and a plurality of guiding and' reenforcing channel members each arranged beneath one of said ridges and having bottom-engaging surfaces spaced laterally from but cooperating withsaid bottom-engaging supporting surfaces in the support of said member, and means to attach said member to a shaker conveyor.

5. A loading device for a shaker conveyor comprising a longitudinally reciprocable member having a plurality of flat-topped ridges and intermediate fiat-bottomed grooves extending in the direction of longitudinal reciprocation, a plurality of flat-bottomed channels secured to said member in the Aspaces beneath the flattopped ridges and adapted to rest, with the surfaces underlying said flat-bottomed grooves, upon the mine bottom, and means for attaching said member to a shaker conveyor.

6. A loading device for a shaker conveyor, comprising a longitudinally reciprocable member, having an advance, bit-armed, lateraledge and `a plurality of ridges and intermediate grooves all extending in the direction of longitudinal reciprocation, and means to attach said member at one end thereof to a shaker conveyor, said member having, at the other end thereof, at the extreme end of said device, a transverse strip whose top is above the vbottoms of said grooves andl not higher than the tops of said ridges obstructing material movement from said grooves at the ends of the latter at said other end of said member.

7. A loading device for a reciprocable shaker conveyor, comprising a longitudinally corrugated pan having a plurality of mutually laterally separatedQparallel, guide and supportY surfaces beneath tlie bottom thereof and a `plurality of spaced ridges extending along-its uppersurface, bit mounting blocks in a spaced series along one edge of. said pan with their bottoms substantially coplanar with said guide and support surfacesv and their tops beneath the level of the tops of vsaid ridges, and bits projecting laterally from saidl blocks.

V8. In a loading device for a reciprocatory shaker conveyor', a load receiving element having an upper surface in the form of a series of longitudinally extending crests with intervening valleys and having at its lower side a plurality of substantially coplanar, mutually parallel, supporting surface-engaging surfaces underlying said crests and a further series of mutually parallel, supporting surface-engaging surfaces coplanar with said rst mentioned supporting surface-engaging surfaces and beneath said valleys, said several supporting surface-engaging surfaces coextensive, longitudinally, with the crests and valleys they respectivelyunderlie, all of said supporting surface-engaging surfaces laterally spaced from each other, and means to attach said pan to a reciprocatory, laterally shiftable shaker conveyor.

9. A loading device for a shaker conveyor comprising a longitudinally reciprocable, transversely feedable member having a portion formed with a plurality of ridges extending in the direction of the longitudinal reciprocation and having a free end, and means for attaching said member to a shaker conveyor including a portion rigid with said ridged portion and having converging side walls and further having a bottom in a plane making such an angle with the main portion of said member that the latter slopes progressively downwardly towards its free end latter is horizontal.

10. A loading device for a reciprocable shaker conveyor, comprising a corrugated npan having a portion adapted .to enter a kerf, the corrugations of said pan comprising straight and parallel ridges and grooves extending longitudinally of said pan in the direction of reciprocation, said ridges and grooves having their respective tops and underlying surfaces in parallel planes Whose spacing vertically is the overall height of the portion of said pan which is adapted to enter a kerf, bit members arranged along the opposite longitudinal sides of said pan and below the top of the latter, means to attach said pan to said reciprocablev shaker 1 conveyor, and means to force either side of said pan selectively into a supply of material to be conveyed, said corrugations constituting the sole means associated with said pan for restraining material on said portion of said pan from movement'across the same.

11. A loading device for a reciprocable shaker conveyor, comprising a corrugated pan having a portion adapted to extend within and during loading to rest directly upon the bottom of a kerf, the corrugations of said pan comprising ridgesV and grooves extending longitudinally of said panin the direction of reciprocation and Y said pan having'no portion of the portion thereof which is adapted to extend within a kerf exi tending above the tops of said ridges, bit members along at least one longitudinal side of said pan extending outwardly therefrom at an angle to the said direction of reciprocation, means to attach said pan to said reciprocable shaker conveyor, andV means to force the said at least one longitudinal side of said pan having bits thereon into a supply'of material to be conveyed.

12. A loading device for a shaker conveyor,

comprising a longitudinally reciprocable member having a lateral edge for the penetration of material to be loaded and a plurality of grooves extending in the direction of the longitudinal reciprocation, said grooves constituting catch l means to obstruct the free ow of large material across the Said member and to induce thematerial to move longitudinally of the member, said grooves also' constituting troughs for the reception of small pieces of materials and for the conveyance of lsuch small pieces longitudinally thereof, means to attach said member to said shaker conveyor, and means to move it transversely to its path of reciprocation to effect feeding thereof under a mass of material to be loaded.

I3. A conveying device, comprising a longitudinally reciprocable loading member having a side edge arranged to be forced into a supply of material to be conveyed, said loading member having a plurality of corrugation ridges and grooves extending longitudinally thereof and Vlongitudinally extensible trough member, said loading member and Vextensible member being detachably secured in 'end-to-end relation, a reciprocating driving-trough, a swivel union attachy ing said extensible troughand loading member to said reciprocating Adriving trough, and means for sumping said loading member and extensible trough member laterally to eilect the loading ou of a pile of material.

14. A loading device for a reciprocable shaker conveyor,v comprising a pan, having at least the upper surface thereof'corrugated, said corrugations extending generally longitudinally of said pan and constituting the sole means for restricting relative transverse movement between material on the pan and said pan, bit members along at least one longitudinal side of said pan, means to attach said pan to thev shaker conveyor, and means to force said pan, in a direction transverse to its length, into material'to be loaded and conveyed.

15. A loading device for a reciprocable shaker conveyor comprising an elongated longitudinally reciprocated panhaving bit'members along its opposite side edges andpbetween said edges, to retard relative transverse movement between said pan and material thereon, a' plurality of longitudinal corrugationsY which determine the overall height of saidV pan betweenA said bitted side edges, 'the tops of said corrugations 'constituting the highest points upon said panl between said bitted side edges. Y

CHARLES N. BEBlNG-ER.

` l REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: y

UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain Nov. 1, 1922 

